World Turtle Day (23/05)

On May 23, many countries celebrate World Turtle Day, an animal symbolizing wisdom, wealth and longevity.

This unusual holiday originated in 2000 on the initiative of the American Tortoise Rescue. This organization was founded by enthusiasts in 1990 in Malibu (California, USA) to preserve the population of turtles living in the vicinity of the city.

The purpose of the holiday was to attract public attention to the problem of the death of a large number of turtles due to proximity to humans.

According to scientists, turtles appeared on Earth long before humans. For example, sea turtles have lived in the oceans of the world for more than 100 million years. Today, however, the survival of these living witnesses from the age of dinosaurs is in jeopardy.

Moreover, they die not only because of their accidental catching by people while fishing for other inhabitants of the seas and oceans. Another problem lies in the active development of the beach strip: sea turtles lay eggs on the beaches, and the cubs must freely enter the ocean. Human intervention greatly complicates this process.

Habitat destruction, disease and climate change pose a major threat. Thus, changes in climate affect the gender ratio in populations. Some turtle species have already disappeared from the wild. And the process of extinction of turtles occurs constantly.

Environmental pollution with plastic and other human waste also has a great impact. As experts explain, many sea turtles mistakenly mistake plastic for jellyfish and other food. Fragments of the material block digestion, injure internal organs, and lead to exhaustion and death of animals.

Three of the seven species of — green, the turtle bissa and the Atlantic ridley — are endangered or endangered species, listed on the Red List of Threatened Species published by the non-profit International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Three more species of — leatherback, olive turtle and loggerhead — in the status of «vulnerable».

Photo: Kristina Vackova, licensed from Shutterstock.com

It is important to remember that everything in nature is interconnected. Leatherback turtles and bissas help control jellyfish and sponge populations. Green sea turtles eat sea grass, which must be low for many species of fish to reproduce in it. That is why it is very important to protect every species and save turtles from extinction.

On this day, actions are held in all turtle habitats, during which volunteers save animals by making crossings for them under busy highways in migration areas or in other dangerous places. The protesters are also seeking the status of legally protected areas for the sea shores, where sea turtles lay eggs.

In recent years, Turtle Day has been celebrated not only in those parts of the globe where these animals are found, but also in many other countries around the world. On this day, people try to exclude turtle dishes from their diet, and household items made from their shell (crests, boxes, etc.) from their everyday life.

The celebration itself includes masquerades dressed as turtles with fun skits from animal life, turtle dancing and sending out fun cards depicting them. It is enough to turn on your imagination, and you will also be able to support this wonderful tradition.



• Infographics — poster «World Turtle Day» • Story «How not to become a turtle»

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